Lots of newly insured back home, but Kevin McCarthy’s still anti-Obamacare

McCarthy is still popular in his district despite his opposition. | John Shinkle/POLITICO

Many House Republicans privately worry that unless they have the 218 votes needed to pass a bill this fall, it’s futile to put something on the floor only to see it fail and expose them to Democrats’ attacks before the November elections. They insist that full repeal remains a top priority and that they want to pursue a step-by-step replacement plan with such ACA provisions as ensuring coverage for pre-existing conditions and keeping dependents on a parent’s insurance policy until age 26.

Still, the longer it takes Republicans to draft and vote on a plan — if they do it at all — the more daunting their political and policy problems become.

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More than 15 million Americans already have coverage under Obamacare — 8 million through the exchanges and more than 7.2 million in Medicaid, according to the Obama administration. While Republicans downplay those numbers, arguing that many of the “newly insured” previously had plans that were eliminated under the law, they admit some people are indeed benefiting.

“You can’t throw that much money at a problem without helping somebody,” said Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), chairman of the Ways and Means health subcommittee. He pivoted fast, though: “In my district I’ve heard from many more that have been harmed and are frightened going forward as well — from small businesses to those who were grandfathered this year and may not be next year.”

Party leaders say they have to ensure that people who got Obamacare coverage stay covered under an alternative. “There’s no question — we have to,” Roe said. “You have to have a bridge to cover these folks — have a place for them to go to buy insurance.”

Some in Bakersfield agree with Republicans like Roe who say that the Obamacare premiums may look affordable, but the care is not.

Greg Wegis, a local farmer and the Kern County Farm Bureau president, said the community is concerned about high deductibles and other costs. Many farm workers may not realize they could face big out-of-pocket expenses when they use their insurance.

“We’re not fans of Obamacare,” Wegis said. “What we’re worried about and what we’re hearing is that people can’t afford it.”

Then there’s Lisete Villarrel, a medical aide who lives in Bakersfield with her young family.

Even when she was uninsured, she was always able to get treated at the local Clinica Sierra Vista because of its sliding scale. But she likes her coverage under MediCal, as the California Medicaid program is called. She likes the security of knowing she and her 1-year-old son won’t face big bills if one of them gets sick.

“You never know what can happen,” said Villarrel, 27, who admits she has worried about paying for prescriptions. “With medications, they’re not going to say, ‘you can make a payment.’ You either have to pay for it or they’re not going to give it to you.”

For people like William McKenzie, the coverage is lifesaving. Before Obamacare, he would have qualified for other federal programs that help low-income HIV patients. But none would have offered the comprehensive health care he now has.

McKenzie doesn’t say MediCal is perfect. His application last December got stuck in a nearly six-month backlog of state Medicaid applications.

“I had to sign up for so many different things. … I came to the clinic and they said, ‘You don’t have coverage right now,’” he said. “It’s been a bumpy road, but it’s all straightened out now.”